You throw the ball. You catch the ball. You hit the ball…Of course, baseball fans know that this line from Bull Durham is far from true, part of the humor of the movie and a huge part of the fun of the game. This blog is a space to talk about baseball, being a baseball fan, all of those things that make the game fun and the Angels, because they make baseball fun for me.

Rain, Rain, Go Away. Come Back Again After Opening
Day!

As you might have guessed from my title, sunny Southern California isn’t exactly living up to the hype at the moment. April showers and all that. Normally I would be fine with this. Drought year water restrictions are really annoying and I would like to avoid that. But tomorrow is the Angels home opening day and we have tickets and…and…okay, a rain out would hardly be an epic tragedy but I am starting to get seriously twitchy for a live game and the weather report is just teasing me – bouncing back and forth between dire predictions of a 60% chance of rain all day and then roughly a 30% change of rain in the morning and early afternoon.

I sure hope the rain clears out in time for the game. Seth and I could not be more excited and have a whole evening planned it. We’re even both leaving work early enough to carpool and still get there in time to watch batting practice, unheard of on a weekday. It will be nice to start the home opener on a high note after a 5 to 1 win over the Rays. Dan Haren picked up the win. He pitched very well and was no doubt pleased with the Angels generous, early run support after their stinginess last season. Though many were initially confused by the nasty stuff of Rays pitcher Jeremy Hellickson, the bats were alive and well. Jordan Walden had his second outing since assuming the closer role and it was another one, two, three inning. I am so happy with this change! But I think that contests to give Walden a nickname and snazzy walk up music are a little premature. Let’s actually watch the kid play first before we saddle him with a nickname.

Oh, and the tickets arrived today! My husband and I will officially be travelling for baseball this summer. Fairly late in the 2010 season, I was commiserating with an old college friend about the state of our teams. Neither of us liked our chances for a post season and we both knew we would be experiencing withdrawal like symptoms all winter. Of course, his team’s ranking at that point was just so much more torture and it all turned out pretty darned well for him in the end. But we had so much fun goofing around, chatting about the game that he proposed an annual fan exchange program – in 2011 he and his guy will take my husband and I to a Giants game and we will take them to an Angels game. So we are heading up to San Francisco in July for the Giants/Dodgers game and we have great seats! For any family who may be lurking on the blog, first, thank you for reading :) and, second, I will not be wearing either team’s colors but will wear my Angels hat instead.

The Giants game happens to be the same weekend the Angels are in the Bay Area to play the A’s, so I also nabbed good seats for the planned Angels vs. A’s single admission, double header on that Saturday. Single admission, double header! Doesn’t that sound like a great throwback to childhood?! I am so excited, I can’t wait…for this weekend or for that one!

11 Comments

Jealous! What a trip! I mean, the Bay area is already awesome… throw in some ball games and your favorite team and BAM! Hope the rain lets up… but as a Chicagoan, you know I can’t feel too sympathetic towards the SoCal weather “woes”.
–Jeffhttp://redstatebluestate.mlblogs.com/

Isn’t our weather weird? It’s so cold up here this morning I’ve got a wool cap on! Really excited that you’re going to see the Giants as I’ve never been to that ballpark and keep hearing how beautiful it is. Enjoy!

I’ll pray for great weather for your opening day if you return the favor. 70% chance of rain on Sunday for my home opener. Your road trips sound great, and I hope for good weather for you then, too. Single admission double-headers are almost unheard of these days. They would surely bring more fans and familyies to the ballpark, though.
–Mike
‘Minoring In Baseball’http://burrilltalksbaseball.mlblogs.com

Mark – It is very exciting. I lucked out in the boss department, even if he’s a Red Sox fan, LOL. If you work hard, he doesn’t mind if you play hard from time to time. My husband works for and with Angels season ticket holders so it’s even easier for him.
Jeff – It really should be a lot of fun. And in between games we’re going to hang out with a bunch of other friends from college we haven’t seen in a few years too. I’m very excited. Yeah, I know. Our rain storm is your good weather this time of year, but a rained out game would be kind of sad no matter what.
Jane – It’s been very cold down here too and after such hot weather earlier in the week, it’s strange. Thanks!
Mike – It’s a deal! Have fun at your home opener! You know, I am actually most excited for the double header? I haven’t been to one since I was 12 and this will be my husband’s first double header. They are so much fun that it’s a shame they’ve all but died out.
— Kristen

Well, looks like the weather held out for you after all! Too bad the Angels took the loss. And wow, 3 baseball games in one weekend? That sounds like a great trip! Make sure to eat some garlic fries in SF. They were fantastic :)
Catherinehttp://chisoxblog.mlblogs.com/

Catherine – Yes, the weather held out, unlike our lead, sorry to say. I will have to seek out those garlic fries. Sounds like a great tip!
True Grich – Thank you for dropping by my blog and commenting! Yeah, I am really looking forward to visiting AT&T Park. The draw of the Coliseum though is purely the double header, but we have seats right between the visitors’ dugout and the bullpen, so it should be fun.
— Kristen

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